Brancott Gisborne Unoaked Chardonnay

I’ve started tasting wines for the upcoming Wine Blogging Wednesday #36.  And since I have five wines that I’ll be reviewing,  I thought I would go ahead and preview one of them.  Truth be told, I’m previewing this one mostly because I had such a great meal with this wine and I want to share the recipes.  The full report on all five wines will be posted next Wednesday, August 8.

The wine is the first one I’ve rated from New Zealand and it’s pretty good: Brancott Gisborne Unoaked Chardonnay 2005.  Abundant pear and pineapple are the highlights of this wine.  The pineapple flavor gives it a nice, tropical twist.  It has a nice crisp acidity and a long finish.  There is a slight bitterness to the finish, but it’s not bad.  Overall, this is an enjoyable wine.  The producer recommends cellaring this for up to three years, and I can see it improving with some age.

Wine: Brancott Gisborne Unoaked Chardonnay
Alcohol: 13.4% 
Rating: 87

I had a wonderful meal with this wine Citrus Marinated Tilapia with a Cauliflower Asparagus Salad.  These were a perfect match for this wine and I’ve included the recipes here.

Citrus Marinated Tilapia

INGREDIENTS

1 lb. Tilapia
Juice of 2 Lemons or Limes
1 tbsp Olive Oil
Pinch of Salt

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Whisk together the Lemon or Lime juice with the Olive Oil.
2. Pour the citrus juice mixture over the Tilapia in a shallow dish.  Sprinkle with salt, cover and let marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
3. Heat a cast iron skillet with a bit of olive oil and fry the Tilapia over medium heat for 3 minutes on each side.  Until flaky.

 Cauliflower Asparagus Salad

INGREDIENTS

1 Head of Cauliflower – cut into bite size pieces
1 Bunch of Asparagus (about 1 lb.) – cut into bite size pieces
1 15 oz. can Large Black Olives – halved
1 Medium Red Onion – chopped
1 tbsp Capers
3 tbsp White Vinegar
4 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 tsp Dried Oregano
Salt and Pepper to Taste

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Blanch the Cauliflower and Asparagus by adding to rapidly boiling water for one minute, then transfer to ice water to quickly stop the cooking process.
2. Whisk together the Olive Oil with the Vinegar.  Add the Oregano, Salt and Pepper to taste.
3. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl.  Mix and refrigerate for two hours before serving.